When an item is approved / approval pending, it means you can have someone add it to the code, or if it's already in the code, it has to be added to the whitelist for you.
Adding it to the code requires making a pull request on Github. Either you can do it yourself, or you can have someone else do it. Doing it yourself is best. Developers are not obligated to add fluff items of any kind. You're welcome to ask, but developers are not required to help you, and are often busy with other things.
All custom items go into item_defines.dm with the owner's ckey and character name commented above the snippet of code.
Once it's in the code, it can be added to your character from our Github page as well by adding it to the custom_items.txt file. Unlike many SS13 servers, we allow this file to be edited straight from the Github to streamline the process.
A reminder that ckeys are all lowercase, no underscores, and no spaces. Failure to follow the correct format will result in your item not being added.
Items are added at the willingness of developers, and we have no obligation to make a pull request for an item just because it was accepted. We're busy. It is your problem to find someone to make a pull request, or to do it yourself.